Sheffield to Manchester (TPT)

From Meadowhall, take the Chapeltown Link up to Ecclesfield (from the Park’n'Ride car park) . About half a mile after Grange Lane (where the path changes from tarmac to a soft surface) take the left fork, under the railway, and you need to manhandle your bike through some bodged access barriers. When you get up to some green space, turn left and follow the track up to the road.

Almost directly opposite is the Hartley Brook trail. Follow this up to Hartley Brook  (don’t head back to Meadowhall on the forest loop!) Ave, then you need to bear left and immediately right to get onto Hartley Brook Rd. Go right here, then cross Barnsley Rd to continue up Deerlands Avenue. Although there is a loop through some woodlands off to the right here, we recommend that you do not follow it, but continue up Deerlands Ave to Halifax Rd.

Cross  at the cycle crossing and  continue up Cowper Ave which is steep but short. Turn right at the top on Fox Hill Rd, and continue up to Grenoside.Turn left on Bower Lane, and then right for the cycle track through Greno Woods. About two-thirds of the way through the woods you will reach the sumit of what has been a very long climb! Continue through the car park until you get to Woodhead Rd (there is also a trail through Wharncliffe Woods, but you’ve still got a long way to go, so I’m recommend the road. When you reach the end turn right, then left on the A629, with care for a short distance, then left onto Finkle Lane. When you reach the railway bridge look for the signs that will take you onto the railway path (former Woodhead railway) Stay on  this for about 10 miles, until you reach Dunford Bridge with its tunnel entrances. (Penistone is a good refreshment stop, and has a train station if you’ve had enough)

At Dunford Bridge take to the road and climb up Windle Edge to the A628. Cross the road with care and contiune off road past Salter’s Bridge, and cross again for the Longdendale Trail. There is a very steep descent into Longdendale (you may wish to dismount) then you get back onto the old railway which will take you all the way to Hadfield. The trailo takes a circuitous route around the reservoir, but from Hadfield Station I would just ride down Hadfield Rd to Woolleybridge Rd and pick the trail up again there. This takes you across to Gamesley where you cross the A628, round by Melandra castle (roman fort) and turn right onto the A626 which is a bit of climb until you reach Charlesworth, then descending via a rough track to Broadbottom. There have been some changes to the route around here, so just follow the signs until you reach the disused railway that runs through Hyde. At the end of this you cross the railway and the canal, and for central Manchester (The TPT continues towards Stockport) turn right onto the canal towpath.Follow this up to Ashton under Lyne , then turn left for Manchester on the Ashton Canal. You will emerge a stones throw from Piccadilly station.